Maryland vs Tennessee Taxes: Take-Home Pay Compared (2026)
On a $75,000 salary, a single filer keeps $3,197 more a year in Tennessee than in Maryland ($266 a month).
Maryland
2% - 6.5% state income tax
$58,395
take-home on $75,000 · $4,866/month
39th of 51 states for take-home pay
Maryland paycheck calculator ›Tennessee
No state income tax on wages
$61,592
take-home on $75,000 · $5,133/month
1st of 51 states for take-home pay
Tennessee paycheck calculator ›Take-home pay in Maryland and Tennessee by salary
| Salary | Maryland | Tennessee | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $32,786 | $34,320 | $1,534 more in Tennessee |
| $50,000 | $40,346 | $42,355 | $2,009 more in Tennessee |
| $60,000 | $47,906 | $50,390 | $2,484 more in Tennessee |
| $75,000 | $58,395 | $61,592 | $3,197 more in Tennessee |
| $100,000 | $74,796 | $79,180 | $4,384 more in Tennessee |
| $125,000 | $91,006 | $96,703 | $5,698 more in Tennessee |
| $150,000 | $106,751 | $113,791 | $7,040 more in Tennessee |
| $200,000 | $139,104 | $148,927 | $9,823 more in Tennessee |
Single filer, standard deduction, no local tax. To match $75,000 in Maryland you would need about $70,450 in Tennessee; to match $75,000 in Tennessee you would need about $79,850 in Maryland.
How Maryland and Tennessee tax wages
| 2026 | Maryland | Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax | 10 brackets from 2% to 6.5% | no state income tax |
| Top rate | 6.5% | 0% |
| Standard deduction | $3,400 single | Not applicable |
| State tax on $75k | $3,197 (4.3%) | $0 (0.0%) |
| Local wage taxes | Yes (6 modeled) | No |
| Reciprocity | District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia | None |
| 2026 change | Maryland added 6.25% and 6.5% brackets for high earners, effective for 2025 and later years. | No rate change |
Moving between Maryland and Tennessee
Moving from Maryland to Tennessee
Moving to Tennessee from Virginia raises take-home by $3,498 at $75,000, from Georgia by $2,994, and from Kentucky by $2,507. You will file a final part-year return in your old state but no Tennessee income tax return. The trade-off is sales tax: Tennessee's combined rates are among the highest in the country, and groceries are still taxed at a reduced state rate.
Moving from Tennessee to Maryland
Moving to Maryland, plan for two income taxes: the state's, at $3,197 for a single $75,000 earner, and your county's, $2,189 in a 3.2% county. If you are deciding between Maryland and Northern Virginia for a DC job, the county tax is usually the deciding difference. Frederick and Anne Arundel counties cost a little less at middle incomes.
Maryland paychecks in brief
Maryland taxes wages in ten brackets from 2% to 6.5%, but nearly every middle-income dollar falls in the 4.75% bracket. A single filer earning $75,000 pays $3,197 to the state and takes home $58,395 before local tax. The defining Maryland feature is the county income tax every resident pays on top, based on where you live: 3.2% in Montgomery, Howard, and Baltimore, or $2,189 at that salary. Since 2025 Maryland also has new 6.25% and 6.5% brackets for high earners. Read the Maryland guide.
Tennessee paychecks in brief
Tennessee does not tax wages, and since the Hall tax on interest and dividends ended in 2021 it does not tax investment income either. A single filer earning $75,000 takes home $61,592, or $2,369 every two weeks, after only federal tax and FICA. That is $3,498 more than in Virginia and $2,507 more than in Kentucky. The state's constitution bars a tax on earned income, and the cost shows up instead in some of the highest combined sales tax rates in the country. Read the Tennessee guide.
Maryland vs Tennessee: FAQ
Does Maryland or Tennessee have lower income taxes in 2026?
On a $75,000 salary, a single filer keeps $3,197 more a year in Tennessee than in Maryland ($266 a month). Maryland has 10 brackets from 2% to 6.5% for 2026. For single filers the top 6.5% rate starts at $1,000,000 of taxable income. Tennessee has no state income tax.
What salary in Tennessee equals $75,000 in Maryland?
To take home the same $58,395 that $75,000 leaves in Maryland, you would need about $70,450 in Tennessee, based on income, payroll, and state taxes only. Housing and other living costs are not included.
How much more do high earners keep in Tennessee than in Maryland?
At $150,000 the gap is $7,040 a year: $106,751 in Maryland versus $113,791 in Tennessee. Progressive brackets make the difference grow faster as income rises.
Do local taxes change the Maryland vs Tennessee comparison?
Maryland has local wage taxes in places like Baltimore (3.2% (County)), Columbia (3.2% (Howard County)), Frederick (2.96% / 2.25% (Frederick County)). Those are on top of the statewide figures above, so check the city calculators if you live or work in one of them.